Friday, January 30, 2009

Congrats to the members of the RNC for voting in the best candidate for RNC Chair, Michael Steele. He can raise money, he's a good communicator, he can innovate the Party and he knows how to run a political organization successfully. A win-win-win-win.

The endorsement that put him over the edge was, surprisingly, Ohio's own Ken Blackwell. Now, I've never been a big fan of the former Ohio Secretary of State. He ran a very poor campaign for Governor and has never known how to do what's best for the Party. To put it simply, the only Ohioan he looked out for....was himself. But Blackwell saw the writing on the wall and didn't want to go down(again) without maintaining some kind of legitimacy in the Party. This was a perfect opportunity for him. He was able to do the right thing while ensuring his self-preservation.

Well, it seems NBC doesn't want to air it during the Super Bowl. Apparently they would prefer having their commercials avoid political causes/issues.

Of course, this didn't stop Obama from having one of his commercials played during the Super Bowl last year. Do something about it. E-mail Victoria Morgan, Vice President, Advertising Standards, NBC Universal at victoria.morgan@nbc.com.

We're heading into round four of voting. While I'm not a big fan of twitter, there are a few folks using it that are doing a good job of giving updates about what's going down on the floor of the Capitol Hilton. Check out:

Thursday, January 29, 2009

For those that follow the game as closely as I do, you'll know that the RNC is soon choosing their Chairman. One of the big names that keeps popping up is Michigan GOP chairman, Saul Anuzis. A large reason for this is the tremendous job he has done in embracing the blogging/twittering faction of the Party which has, in turn, done a decent job of creating a buzz about his candidacy.

But he hasn't won anything.

During his time as Chairman he suffered an absolute buttkicking in statewide elections in 2006. In 2008, he was only able to put up a sacrificial lamb to run for Senate, ended up losing a Congressional seat and John McCain didn't even bother to waste his time campaigning there.

Despite Democrats completely controlling the state, and in turn...running it into the ground, Anuzis was unable to organize successful candidates/campaigns.

A parent in the Clark County School District of Las Vegas, Henderson area reported today that his son, who is in 1st grade, came home yesterday saying that he didn't want to go back to school anymore.

When asked why, the boy said that during the Pledge of Allegiance the teacher put up a large image of Obama next to the flag.

Thinking that the boy might be exaggerating, the man asked his son if he was sure, and suggested that by "large" he might mean an 8x10 photo of the president. The boy apparently said "No, it is a large picture of Obama and when we are done, the teacher turns off the image."

Now, I know we all absolutely despise all the pork and misspending within the Stimulus Shit Sandwich Act of 2009, but it turns out there is something even more dangerous to our economy within those pages. Pardon me, shitpages.

The stimulus bill passed by the House last night contains a controversial provision that would mostly bar foreign steel and iron from the infrastructure projects laid out by the $819 billion economic package.

A Senate version, yet to be acted upon, goes further, requiring, with few exceptions, that all stimulus-funded projects use only American-made equipment and goods.

Proponents of expanding the "Buy American" provisions enacted during the Great Depression, including steel and iron manufacturers and labor unions, argue that it is the only way to ensure that the stimulus creates jobs at home and not overseas.

Opponents, including some of the biggest blue-chip names in American industry, say it amounts to a declaration of war against free trade. That, they say, could spark retaliation from abroad against U.S. companies and exacerbate the global financial crisis.

A friend sent me this link. It dramatically illustrates the rapidly increasing cost of the War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. Currently, we're running at around $593 billion.

That's a lot, eh?

Until you consider that the Stimulus Shit Sandwich Act of 2009 as passed by the House yesterday cost upwards of $825 billion.

$593 billion over seven years to keep our country safe, promote political stability in the middle east and maintain the 'oil status quo'.

$825 billion in 10 seconds last night to keep Democrats in power and pork going to their constituents.

The worst part of this is that the $825 billion is going to become the new baseline for future budgets approved by Congress for years to come. See this example from Hotair.com:

The Department of Education gets a whopping $66 billion in this bill. In 2001, the federal government spent $35 billion in total in the Department of Education, and by 2006 the Bush administration raised it to $85 billion, almost tripling the outlay. Now Congress wants to add $66 billion on top of what we've already budgeted for the DoE, a figure that almost doubles the entire 2001 DoE budget from just eight years ago.

This means the new baseline where all federal education funding will start in Congress is $151 billion. That's roughly 4 and a half times the Department's funding at the end of the Clinton Administration. From this baseline, Congress will be able to say each year, "we are being fiscally responsible by only increasing Education funding by 2%."

Well yeah, you are...but considering where that baseline started from, that is still a hell of a lot of cash. And this same thing will happen in every facet of government that receives a chunk of that $825 billion.

Now say what you will about the need to spend more on education funding....but even if you're for the obnoxiously massive increases, the haphazard way they are going about it is beyond the pale. Personally, I worked for two years on the Hill on Education issues and for two years at the U.S. Department of Education as a political appointee. Trust me on this....they will have NOOO idea how to spend this money efficiently and effectively. There is a reason we have an education, budget and appropriations committee that carefully reviews all funding and specifically directs where it's going over the course of each fiscal year. It is to provide oversight. And considering how imperfect that system is, imagine what the results will be in respect to this Stimulus Shit Sandwich Act of 2009.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

The Great Democrat Power Building Act of 2009, otherwise known as the stimulus bill, passed the House tonight by a margin of 242-189.

Number of House Republicans that sided with the Dems in order to cover their asses for their next campaign?

Zero.

None. Zip. Zilch.

Major props to House Minority Leader John Boehner and Minority Whip Eric Cantor for keeping every single vote in line....especially if you consider this post from Marc Ambinder. Let's see if McConnell can work some magic in the Senate.

It seems everyday the GOP has been able to highlight something else ridiculous in the bill and embarrassed the Majority into removing it. The longer we can delay the inevitable, the better off the American people are.

Recharge Ohio just released a statement from John Kasich responding to the Ohio Governor's State of the State address today:

COLUMBUS, Ohio – At this time when Ohio's economy is in a death spiral and losing tens of thousands of jobs, it is concerning that the Governor spent less than 10% of his State of the State speech laying out his plans to turn the economy around and create more jobs in this state.

His solution for the state's economic crises relies on a one-time federal bailout, rehashed state tax credits and "optimism", rather than a new business plan that provides incentives for economic growth and job creation.

It is ironic that the Governor opened his speech talking about the construction of Ohio Stadium after World War I. Today Ohio Stadium could be more than sold out with those who have lost their jobs under the Governor's watch.

Our unemployment rate is the highest it's been in 22 years, and we've lost 111,600 jobs in the last two years. 13.2% of Ohioans live in poverty and nearly 1 in 10 Ohioans now receive food stamps. Ohio ranks 48th in per-capita personal income growth and almost 7,000 young people left the state last year.

Ohio needs to find new and innovative ways to stimulate and sustain job creation. Unfortunately there was no new vision in the Governor's speech for moving Ohio ahead in this area.

The bottom line is that Ohioans deserve leadership that will lower taxes, unburden Ohio businesses from unnecessary regulation and reward those who invest in innovative new ideas to create new jobs.

He couldn't have said it any better. While Kasich isn't providing specifics for how to accomplish his goals, it's important to note that he actually understands what ills Ohio. I'm looking forward to hearing his plans over the coming months. It's refreshing to know we have the potential to have someone leading Ohio who understands the role of government and how to make the Buckeye State great again.

Please visit the Recharge Ohio website. Sign up for updates, donate what you can and get your friends involved. While Kasich is doing all the right things, he needs to know he will have the support, financial and otherwise, to be competitive before he takes Strickland head-on.

Of course, it also would be nice to have a Governor that doesn't put Gordon Gee to sleep in the middle of a speech.

Gov. Strickland's State of the State has come and gone. As expected, his first priority is education.

"We will graduate Ohioans ready to succeed in the modern economy and in modern life," Strickland said during his one-hour speech. "Future generations will look back gratefully and say that when we came together on education, we claimed this new century for Ohio."

In this time of admitted economic crisis, should this really be the #1 issue? Currently, Ohio is ranked 3rd in the country for the number of adults with bachelor's degrees. 3rd! I dunno, Guv...but I think we're doing ok when it comes to "graduating Ohioans". But why would this be the number one issue? What could it possibly be?!?!

"...it’s important to note that no single group gave more money directly to House Democrats last election cycle than the Ohio Education Associaiton."

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

"Poorly provided fiscal stimulus can have worse side effects than the disease that is to be cured. This suggests close attention to three issues:…[Fiscal] stimulus, to be maximally effective, must be clearly and credibly temporary – with no significant adverse impact on the deficit for more than a year or so after implementation. Otherwise it risks being counterproductive by raising the spectre of enlarged future deficits pushing up longer-term interest rates and undermining confidence and longer-term growth prospects."

Pretty damn good argument against the stimulus, eh?

Ironically,these words were uttered by the head of the President's Council of Advisors, Lawrence Summers, in a column he penned a year ago.

Sunday's Columbus Dispatch focused once again on Gov. Strickland's inability to right the ship that is Ohio. The Guv, a master of deflection, spun it perfectly.

"I'm not absolving myself of any responsibility at all," he said. "I believe that once this national recession that Ohio is a part of subsides, that what we have done to turn around Ohio will be very evident, and that we will be wonderfully positioned to move forward."

The national recession.

Is the national recession why Ohio has an unemployment rate almost 8 percent higher than the national average? Or why companies continue to leave Ohio for greener pastures?

The fact is, no federal stimulus is going to save Ohio's economy. Each state needs to do its own part to save itself rather than sitting back and waiting for Uncle Sam to throw them a few billion bucks. How do we do that? Is it by focusing on "school-funding and reform", which Strickland says will be the focus of his State of the State speech tomorrow? No.

Strickland has a responsibility to make Ohio attractive to businesses again. How do you do that? Tax incentives. Tax cuts. We have the manpower. We have a well educated workforce. We just need a place to work.

And since the Governor doesn't seem to consider that a priority, I know someone that will.

"President Obama on Thursday will order the closure of so-called black sites, where CIA and European security services have interrogated terrorist suspects, under executive orders dismantling much of the Bush admistration's architecture for the war on terror, according to four individuals familiar with a draft executive order."

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

The first poll matching up Kasich and Strickland for the Ohio Governor's race show some questionable results. This PPP(D) poll has the current Borrower-in-Chief up by 6 over everyone's favorite budgethawk.

Buuuuut, you may not want to take these numbers too seriously. Why?

For example, only 52% of blacks surveyed supported Strickland. This is most assuredly going to be higher come election day. Also, 66% of those polled by PPP were 46 or over. For comparison's sake, only 53% of the voting population in 2008 were in the same age bracket. Think that was just an Obama phenomona? Nah. In 2004, the same demographic was 54% of the electorate. Now, in non-Presidential election years, it's understood that the 46+ age group will comprise a slightly larger number of the voting public than normal, but not 12-13% more.

Expectedly, Strickland is much more well-known than Kasich.

We have about a year 'til things start publicly heating up. Strickland's massive budget cuts, higher than national average Ohio unemployment and continued inability to provide his promised education plan will provide a lot of ammo for Kasich's campaign.

Kasich is personable, has a massive record of accomplishment and will have well-developed solutions for what ills the Buckeye state.

The unknown variable is how the national mood will affect the race.

'Til then, do what you can do to help. And that means helping John's PAC - Recharge Ohio. Even if you can't send money, please forward the link to friends and family so they can proactively begin the fight to take back our State.

You want to see the Ohio GOP turnaround? This is how you do it. Help Kasich win.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

A friend of mine showed me a recent article from the Chicago Sun Times that quite simply and efficiently explained the importance of the free market system, and how we're completely ignoring it with the federal bailouts:

"Paco Underhill, a retail anthropologist and author of Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping, said he expects more retailers to close, paving the way for massive change.

"'Retail historically is about birth, life and death. It frees up space and people for more creative uses,' Underhill said."

In fact, that’s true of the entire free-market system, and the reason why government should not get involved in bailing out private enterprise. Economic downturns shake out the weak players and returns resources to the market for better, more efficient use. It’s a painful process, but it eventually produces strength by rewarding the best business practices and the wiser investors.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

I know we've been seeing a lot of eachother lately, and our time together has been...::sighs::...magical! But, the fact of the matter is that I'm seeing someone right now, and it's pretty serious. You've always been there for me, but you have to stop hounding me like this.

I mean, it's not like we ever were more than a fling anyways, right? I know sometimes I'd bring you home and sometimes I'd....eat out. :cough: BUT, it was JUST a fling. I don't want you there everyday when I come home from work. I don't want you there at breakfast. Hell, even a lunchtime nooner is a stretch. The fact of the matter is that you're actually only really good when I've been drinking til two in the morning.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Boy, ya think Portman had a slight heads up about Voino's decision to not run for re-election?

"This in via e-mail from Rob Portman’s staff:

ROB PORTMAN LAUNCHES STATEWIDE ANNOUNCEMENT TOUR

Cincinnati, OH - Rob Portman will launch a statewide tour on Wednesday to announce his interest in seeking Senator George Voinovich’s U.S. Senate seat. Senator Voinovich recently announced that he will not be seeking a third term in 2010.

The announcement tour will include stops in Lebanon, Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati. Portman will joined by supporters and friends at each location."

Rumors leaked just five days ago that Voino was gone. Today, we not only have an entire statewide announcement tour scheduled for tomorrow...but a plethora of cities and confirmed venues to boot. Now, I know things in politics work fast, but this is ridiculous. It's not easy to just whip up a tour like this. It takes serious planning, gruntwork, crowdbuilding and media wrangling.

Monday, January 12, 2009

With Voino's departure, that opens up a number of potential candidates for the vacant Senate seat. Names like Mike DeWine and Mary Taylor have been thrown around, but none is more deserving or more capable of winning than Former Rep. Rob Portman.

sidebar: Picking Portman was particularly tough since I remember working with Mary Taylor back in 2002 on the Ann Womer Benjamin congressional race....not only is she extremely good natured and bright...but she'd also carry on the Sarah Palin tradition of high profile GOP hotties.

Portman for Senate and Kasich for Governor would provide the Ohio GOP with the two big names we need to start winning again in the Buckeye State.

Today, a facebook group was started up to support Portman if he decides to run for the Senate seat. Ya gotta love how the internet and social networking has changed politics. Utilization of these tools are becoming the internet's version of candidate yardsigns.

Just like sticking a sign in your yard, signing up for a group on facebook doesn't necessarily mean that individual is going to donate cash or walk door-to-door for a candidate, but it shows momentum and it makes that individual more inclined to actually go out and VOTE. You see your friends joining the group, and it makes you more likely to join the cause, or at least give more thought to supporting the candidate.

Sen. Voinovich just finished up his press conference announcing he is not running for re-election in 2010.

The Senator's office helped give me my first real opportunity in politics when I interned for him when he served as Governor. He ran a clean, efficient ship and I'm thankful for the chance he provided me. He surrounded himself with high quality individuals who taught me a lot and helped make me what I am today.

His office also helped provide Ohio with hordes of political hacks that knew how to win. While the Ohio GOP hasn't exactly been kicking much Dem ass lately, it isn't because of the lack of smarts and dedication from the countless people that came through Voinovich's office.

He has provided Ohio with four decades of outstanding service. And while Ohio conservatives may not have always been happy with his choices, we all respect his integrity, dedication and political courage.

The AOL Politics blog made some news yesterday when they started spreading some gossip that Sen. Voinovich wasn't planning on running for re-election to the US Senate in 2010. If true, it's a bit of surprise...according to our sources Voino had been raising money as if planning on running again and his office is just as active as ever.

But today the Columbus Dispatch reports about some "reshuffling" of the fundraising team and includes an anonymous quote from a "senior GOP official" addressing Voino's openness to retirement.

Jeb, Kit Bond, now Voinovich. For some odd reason Republicans are deciding 2010 isn't an appealing time to run. Candidate recruitment, which had been bad in recent years, is getting worse still.

The good news is that it opens the door for those "fresh faces" we'd all like to see. The bad news is that it's damn hard to get elected as a "fresh face."

In reality, it's very simple. Voino, who I'm sure would love to stay in the Senate, understands how important the 2010 election is for Ohio Republicans. Currently, former Reps. Rob Portman and John Kasich are heading towards a clash for the only open race worth their high profiles, Governor. But, if the Senate seat opens up, Portman can make his run for the senior legislative body and Kasich can have his go at Governor Strickland.

Ohio isn't going to get any better candidates for these two seats than Portman and Kasich. If this all shakes out the way it's tending towards, this is one case where things finally work out well for the Ohio GOP, and it will be thanks to Sen. Voinovich...who will go out a winner.

What's important at this point is fundraising. Kasich won't have any trouble running a good political ground game, but he needs money to win. And he needs to know he'll have it. So what are you waiting for... help Recharge Ohio.

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Third Base Politics is an Ohio-centric conservative blog that has been featured at Hot Air, National Review, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Michelle Malkin, and Ace of Spades, among others.